Grass-catcher.



UNITED STATES CHESTER K. HANN,

OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

GRASS-CATCHER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHESTER K. HANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at C- lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grass Catchers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in grass-catchers.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple catcher of superior construction comprising a fabric body, a foldable frame, and a spring-attaching frame acting to hold the bottom of the body in shape.

Another feature resides in the provision of stiffening-rods and guides for the engaging members of the attachingame, as well as reinforcing means for the front edge of the bottom.

Finally, the object of the invention is to provide device of the character described that will be strong, durable, efficient, and simple and inexpensive to make.

With the above and other objects in View the invention consists of the lgure 1 is a side elevation of the catcher,

a portion of the body being broken away to illustrate the hinge-joint. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation,

and Fig. 4 is a partial vertical sectional view 1taken on the line w 00 of Fig. 2 and greatly enar ed.

I n the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the fabric body of the catcher, which has the usual sha e and is provided with a fabric bottom 2. on its upper edge, which inclines upwardly an rearwardly, the body is engaged about a substantially U-shaped top frame is formed with eyes ends which engage loosely in the double coils 5 of an inverted substantially U-shaped front frame 6, thus forming ge-joints. The front frame has its vertical ends extending downwardly at an angle to the top frame and is formed at its lower ends with eyes 7. 8 of an up er transverse rod 9, extending across the ottom 2 at its front edge. neath the rod 9 a lower transverse rod Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 16, 1905. Serial No. 278,732.

frame 3, the

Patented July 3, 1906.

The eyes impinge the inner sides of the eyes 8 of the front frame, thus securing the lower rod against longitudinal movement on the up er rod 9.

attaching frame 12, secured to the body along the intersection of its bottom 2 and its rear end wall, serves to hold the lower portion of the body in shape. The frame 12 is provided with forwardly-extending portions converging toward each other looped to form eyes 14, adjacent to and in the rear of the rods 9 and 10. hese eyes are engaged by the free ends of a coiled spring 15, w e engaging members or hooks 16 extend forwardly from the eyes, passing between the upper and lower rods 9 and 10, which form guides therefor. The members 16 are thus resiliently connected and spring apart against the tension of the coiled spring 15, thereb being firmly held in contact with the lawnmower with which they are engaged.

It will be noted that the bottom fabric 2 is passed about the lower rod and carried ack upon itself, as indicated at 2' whi e a casing-strip of fabric 17 along the under side of the bottom, carried about and over of the bottom. he rearwar ly-extending portions of the casing-strip 17 and the portion 2 are suitably stitched to the bottom 2 transversely, thereby being held in place and securing the rods against displacement. he casing-strip 17 and the portion 2*, while acting more especially to hold the rods 9 andlO in place, also reinforce the front edge of the casing-strip 17 extends only between the engaging members 1 6 of the attaching-frame 12 the rods 9 and 10 on each s1 ing exposed and providing guides or 0 enings in which the said engaging mem ers have free play. In constructing the top front frame 6, the rods 9 and 10, and the attaching-frame wire having a certain amount of resiliency and rigidity may be ernloyed. should be stiff enough to race and hold the body in shape.

By provision of the hinge-j oints formed between the parts by the various eyes the catcher may be readily folded down flat to facilitate trans orting and shipping. The catcher is readily folded by swingin the front frame 6 downward and forwar the top frame thereby being swung downward l and forward and the parts thus lying comparatively fiat. Much stress is laid on the front frame 6, which greatly strengthens the front portion of the catcher and prevents the sides from bulgin outwardly or spreading.

Having now fu ly described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a grass-catcher, a body, jointed stiffening-frames for the body, separated guiderods extending across the front of the body, attaching members passing between the rods, and resilient means for connecting the said members.

2. In a grass-catcher, a body, jointed stiffening-frames for the body, separated guiderods extending across the front of the body, attaching members passing between the rods, resilient means for connecting the said members, and means for holding the rods together and the attaching members apart.

3. In a grass-catcher, a fabric body, a top frame attached to the upper portion of the top of the body and formed at its forward ends with eyes, a front frame having openings engaged by the eyes of the top frame to form hinge-joints, said front frame being provided with eyes at its lower ends, a rod extending of the body and formed with eyes engaging with the eyes of the front frame to form hinge-joints, a second rod having a portion of its length separated from the first rod but having connectiontlierewith, a spring-attaching frame carried by the bottom of the body and acting to hold the lower portion of the body in shape, engaging members provided on the attaching-frame and extending between the rods, and a coiled spring having engagement with the attaching-frame.

4. In a grasscatcher, a body, a spring-attaching frame carried by the body, separated guide rods between which the attachingframe extends arranged along the front edge of the bottom of the body, a portion of the bottom being carried about one of the rods to hold it in place, and. a casing-strip carried about both rods and secured to the bottom with the said portion thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHESTER K. IIANN.

Witnesses:

A L. PHELPS, M. B. ScnLEY. 

